SOLUTION: What is the missing leg of a right triangle with side measures of 12 and 17?

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Question 285471: What is the missing leg of a right triangle with side measures of 12 and 17?

Answer by dabanfield(803) About Me  (Show Source):
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What is the missing leg of a right triangle with side measures of 12 and 17?
Assuming 17 is the Hypotenuse, if the missing leg has length x then, by the Pythagorean Theorem, we know that:
x^2 + 12^2 = 17^2
x^2 = 17^2 - 12^2
x^2 = 289 - 144
x^2 = 145
x = sqrt(145)